Boardshorts vs MMA Shorts

mleung41

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Hey guys, I was kind of wondering what made MMA shorts so special.

I'm looking at brands like Sprawl, Hayabusa, badboy, etc. and I was wondering if these shorts could be used for like swimming as well.

I was looking at boardshorts from pacsun and they all seem like they are polyester and would be okay on the mat. not sure if mma shorts are polyester or w/e

so here's the question: can you use boardshorts for mma or MMA shorts for swimming?
details are appreciated

thanks sherdog
 
The main difference is the lack of metal components on MMA shorts compared to Board shorts. Things like metal eye loops for drawstrings and zippers are not kosher for grappling as they can result in cuts and other injuries. In fact, some grappling tournaments ban boardshorts for this reason unless you can somehow prove your shorts are safe to roll in for your opponent.

MMA shorts lack exterior pockets which is another safety concern being that someone's finger could get caught in it also resulting in injury. MMA shorts are also designed to stay on while rolling and tend to have very secure waistbands which include a lace drawstring AND a velcro flap over it.

Also some MMA shorts sport stretch panels in the crotch and slits on the outside of the leg. The stretch panels are great for flexibility and to some, provide extra friction for their guard. The leg slits are for kicking, and to a certain extent the stretch panels too, is something board shorts are not designed for.

In the end, MMA shorts are really just specialized Board shorts. One is designed for swimming and surfing while the other is designed for grappling and striking. If you look around for good deals the price is almost the same so just buy MMA shorts if you plan on rolling or fighting with them. On the topic of swimming in MMA shorts, I can't say that I ever have but I don't see why not although, I never would because I already have shorts for swimming.
 
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everything posted above is true.

also, if you want a reason first hand as to why its bad to wear board shorts for mma, try rolling for 3 hours in board shorts and see if your experience was enjoyable. Then try some mma shorts.
 
The main difference is the lack of metal components on MMA shorts compared to Board shorts. Things like metal eye loops for drawstrings and zippers are not kosher for grappling as they can result in cuts and other injuries. In fact, some grappling tournaments ban boardshorts for this reason unless you can somehow prove your shorts are safe to roll in for your opponent.

MMA shorts lack exterior pockets which is another safety concern being that someone's finger could get caught in it also resulting in injury. MMA shorts are also designed to stay on while rolling and tend to have very secure waistbands which include a lace drawstring AND a velcro flap over it.

Also some MMA shorts sport stretch panels in the crotch and slits on the outside of the leg. The stretch panels are great for flexibility and to some, provide extra friction for their guard. The leg slits are for kicking, and to a certain extent the stretch panels too, is something board shorts are not designed for.

In the end, MMA shorts are really just specialized Board shorts. One is designed for swimming and surfing while the other is designed for grappling and striking. If you look around for good deals the price is almost the same so just buy MMA shorts if you plan on rolling or fighting with them. On the topic of swimming in MMA shorts, I can't say that I ever have but I don't see why not although, I never would because I already have shorts for swimming.

thanks dude, good point about the velcro on boardshorts.

so it sounds like mma shorts can (if needed) be used for swimming...doesn't sound too bad.

I was more concerned about mma shorts being damaged due to water or something but idk it could seem cool to have like "Bad boy eyes" on ur swimshorts. just an idea

reason i thought of this is because i kind of want to have more uses for mma shorts if i do spend 60$ on it lol
 
I disagree.

MMA shorts are worth the money... For MMA practice.

I would recommend specifically NOT doing anything else in them, for the very reason that you want your $60 shorts, that are excellent for MMA to last for a long time.

Lycra does not react well to bleach, salt water or Chlorine, it is best not to soak it in these chemicals, as wil happen in a pool or the ocean.
 
aren't most mma shorts nylon/polyester as well?

i would expect to clean them the same way i clean my swim trunks.

also i'm not serious in bjj yet, aka i dont pay dues for classes or what not. im still in college and not sure what kind of job/what kind of time i will have when i get out soon

but i still want to roll for the months ahead at my local club anyway so another pair of shorts to hang around the pool with wouldnt hurt. it would suck if i bought these shorts and didnt use them for anything but the occassional class.
but obviously i cant continue rolling in bball shorts

also another thing: What's the deal with fitting a sports cup inside ur shorts? do i need loose fitting shorts to have my jockstrap/cup fit too
 
Just buy your normal waist size unless the brand's sizing differs greatly like Jaco shorts for example. There should not be an issue fitting a cup with compression shorts or a jock strap underneath. I would even go so far to assume they're designed with this consideration in mind.
 
... from a former competitive swimmer for many years at a pretty decent level:

Unless you use them as drag shorts, or swimming recreationally (and by that I mean having fun in the pool or at the beach), MMA shorts are completely and thoroughly unsuitable for swimming :). Lots of folks use them for weight lifting though, especially CrossFit athletes, since they're more durable than workout shorts.

HTH,

Nick
 
I've rolled with a guy using boardshorts and it sucked. He had these metal circles that the drawstring went through and for some reason they had got sharp and scratched the shit out of my arm while I was working guard and my hand slipped off his hip the same time that he tried to belly flop into side control.
 
you could wear the old bad boy shorts from the 80's to the beach.
 
ha half the time i wear basketball shorts to the gym and they work fine...i have several pairs of grappling shorts but after 3 years of it i dont care anymore...these days most of the trunks out there are so tacky i feel like douche wearing them...but all in all id have to say kaizen is my fave the gi material on the inseam is quite nice and they dont have a bunch of skulls and lightning bolts on them
 
good point about the weightlifting and crosstraining

i think bad boy shorts with the eyes would be kinda cool. as long as mma shorts dont have miguel torres or melvin manhoef styles of cuts where the entire side of the shorts are slit for kicking then they could probably pass for casual wearing
 
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